Rotary steam engine



Nov. 4, 1941. c. v. SEAWRIGHT ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l 95 m6 0.1M 93 I 38 M :10 r H ELM! I2 7 l i I C LYDE VERHUHSEA WRIGHT finnentor gawk/52mm 1941- c. v. SEAWRIGHT 2,261,568

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1941 CLYDE VERNON .Ssnwmenr Smaentor (Ittomegs Patented Nov. 4, 1941 ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Clyde Vernon Seawright, Coolidge, Ga., assignor of one-fourth to Luther Smith and one-fourth to Roy B. Hicks, both of Coolidge, Ga. 7

Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 376,747

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a rotary engine and more especially to one of the gravity type wherein the center of gravity of a weighted element is shifted transversely from one side to the other of a shaft, so as to produce continuous rotation of the same. Specifically, the invention comprises a shaft having a tubular casing transversely mounted thereon and a piston slidably mounted in the casing, which piston is adapted to be reciprocated back and forth to shift the the center of gravity of suitable weighted elements relative to the shaft to cause the shaft to continuously rotate in one direction. Steam or other suitable fluids are employed for operating the piston and, therefore, a suitable intake and exhaust mechanism is employed for admitting and exhausting the fluid at the proper time.

It is an object of thisinvention to provide a rotary engine of the class described having a novel means for exhausting and admitting steam or other fluid into a rotatably mounted casing, which casing has a reciprocable piston on the interior thereof for shifting the center of gravity of exteriorly mounted weighted members, relative to the axis of rotation. Means are also provided for adjusting the initial positions of the weighted members relative to the axis of rotation so that the limits of shift can be varied, and consequently, the length of the stroke regulated.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, with certain portions thereof shown in section, illustrating my improved rotary engine. H

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 in Figure l. I

Figure 3 is a sectional plan View taken along the line 33 in Figure l. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral Ill denotes a suitable base for 'sup-, porting upright supports ll, l2 and [4. The upper ends of the supports have journaled therein, a suitable shaft which is formed from abutting members I5, l6 and H, the member l5 having a pulley IB fixedly secured on one end thereof. Between the members l5 and I6 is secured a power unit 20, and the ends of this power unit project a substantial distance on opposed sides of the axis of rotation. A similar power unit 200 is disposed between the abutting members l6 and I1, and this power unit likewise.

tremities of the tubular member 25.

has its ends projecting a substantial distance on either side of the axis of rotation.

It will be noted by referring to Figures 1 and 2 that the power unit 20a is disposed on the axis of rotation substantially at an angle 'of90 degrees to the powerunit 20. In the description to be hereinafter made, only one unit will be described and like reference characters'will be applied to. like parts in the other unit, because the only essential difference between the two units is that the corresponding parts are disposed in opposite hand relation to the center line of the assembly,

The power unit 20 comprises a tubular member 25 having its ends projecting substantially equidistantlyfrom the axis of rotation, said ends' washers; 33' to prevent leakage between the two compartments.

The piston 28 is secured on the intermediate portien of a rod 35, said rod being adaptedto slidably penetrate the plugs 26 and 21 and have 1 its ends project beyond these plugs a substantial amount. In order to prevent leakagebetween these plugs and the rod 35, suitable packing nuts 31 are provided. The lower and upper ends of the rod 35 have adjustably mounted thereon, weights 38 and 39, respectively, by any suitable means such as set screws 40. Disposed between one end of the tubular member 25 and the weight 38 (Figural) is a suitable shock-absorbing means such as a compression spring 4 I. Asimilar spring 42 is disposed between the other end of the tubular member and weight .39. I

Compartments Hand 30 have communicating therewith suitable ports 45 and 46, respectively, which are disposed near the ends of tubular member.25.' Ports 45 and 46 have'coinciding therewith similar ports 41 and 48 respectively of a second tubular member 49. This tubular member, 49 is secured to tubular member 25 by any suitable means such as welding or the like and its ends extend a slight distance beyond the ex- Slidably mounted within the tubular member 49 are a pair of pistons 52 and 53 which are connected by means of a suitable rod 54. The distance between the pistons 52 and53 is preferably about the same distance as between the ports 41 and 48, so that when the parts are rotated to the position shown in Figure 1, the piston 52 will be disposed below the port 41 and the piston 53 will be disposed below the port 48. By having such an arrangement it is evident that when the parts have rotated through an angle of 180 degrees from the position shown in Figure 1, the ends of the assembly 20 will be reversed and the piston 53 will fall to a position below the port 48; whereas the piston 52 will be in uppermost position but below the port 41.

The ends of the tubular member 49 have suitable plugs 58 and 59 in the ends thereof, the interior portions of which support suitable shock absorbing members such as springs 68 and BI, respectively. These springs reduce the impact produced by the centrifugal force of the pistons 52 and 53 while the engine is in operation Also mounted in the plugs 58 and 59 are suitable exhaust tubes or pipes 64 and 65, respectively, the outlet of each of said pipes being turned inwardly toward the axis of rotation so that the exhaust steam will not retard the rotation of the engine.

It. will be seen that the tubular member 49 acts as a steam chest for receiving steam or other fluids which is to be fed alternately through ports 41 and 48 into compartments 29 and an respectively. The central portion of the tubular portion 49 has a bore 66 therein for communicating with, another bore 61 in center shaft Hi. This center shaft is rotatably mounted in the upper portion of the support I2 and has a plurality of radially disposed bores 68 therein which establish communication between bore 61 and a steam compartment 69, which compartment is in the upper portion of support l2. Steam or other fluid operating medium is supplied to the compartment 69 by way of pipe 10.

During the operation of the present device, the operating fluid enters the compartment 69 and then passes through radially disposed bores 68 and into bore 61. Part of the fluid material passes into unit 20 and an equal part passes into unit 28a. With the parts as shown in the left hand portion of Figure 1, the steam which passes into the tubular member 49 of unit 20 will also pass into compartment 29 by way of bores 45 and 41, thereby causing the piston 28 to move upwardly and at the same time move the weights 38 and 39 upwardly the same amount. While piston 28 moves upwardly, the steam in compartment 30 exhausts through ports 46 and 48 and pipe 65. The upward movement of piston 28 will shift the center of gravity of the weight assembly, comprising members 28, 35, 38 and 39 on the other side of the axis of rotation, thereby causing the resultant weight to rotate the unit. until weight 39 reaches lowermost position during which time, the pistons 52 and 53 will move downwardly as a result of gravity. When in this position, pistons 52 and 53 will close the exhaust tube 65 and at the same time establish communication between the bore 61 and the compartment 30. Also while piston 53 is closing the exhaust port 65, the piston 52 will move past the port 41 toward the axis of rotation and thereby establish communication between compartment 29 and exhaust pipe 64 to permit the steam from this compartment to be exhausted.

By'having this type of gravity actuated valve mechanism, the added weight of the valve pistons 52 and 53 supplements the momentum of the. weighted members '38 and 39 during the actual operation of the machine.

When it is desired to adjust the length of stroke of the piston 28, it is only necessary to manipulate the set screws 40 and change the positions of weights 38 and 39.

Although two units have been shown, it is quite evident that as many units as desired may be provided by merely changing the angularity with respect to each other, about the rotating axis. The present embodiment of the invention is very advantageous over devices of similar nature heretofore designed, because the weighted members 38 and 39 are disposed on the exterior of the casing thereby permitting easy adjustment of the stroke. Also the valve assembly comprising members 52, 53, and 54 is actuated by gravity and supplements the momentum of weighted members 38 and 39 during operation.

It is desirable to make the steam compartment 69 as nearly leakproof as possible and therefore suitable bearings 1| have been provided on each side thereof, which bearings are held in position by packing glands 12 and packing nuts 13 which encircle the shaft [6 and form a close fit therearound.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A rotary engine comprising a rotatabl shaft, a cylinder secured to and disposed transversely of said shaft and being secured to the shaft at a point substantially midway its ends, a reciprocable piston in the cylinder dividing the interior thereof into two compartments, said cylinder having ports substantially equidistant from the axis of rotation communicating with each compartment, a second cylinder secured alongside the first cylinder and having ports therein coinciding with the first-named ports, a pair of inter-connected gravity actuated pistons slidably mounted in th second cylinder for simultaneous travel entirely across their respective ports, means for continuously introducing a power fluid into said second cylinder at a point between said interconnected pistons to permit it to pass into the lowermost of said compartments and move said first cylinder upwardly and oif-center relative to the axis of rotation, said second cylinder also having a pair of exhaust ports in each end thereof more distantly removed from the axis of rotation than the second named ports, gravity serving to move the interconnected pistons downwardly whereby the lowermost interconnected piston will move past the lowermost of said second ports to establish communication between the second cylinder and the lowermost of the compartments, and to close the associated exhaust port while the other interconnected piston closes communication between the second cylinder and the other of said compartments to permit the other of said exhaust ports to be opened.

2. A combined gravity and fluid operated rotary engine comprising a hollow shaft, a pair of stands supporting said shaft for rotation, one of said stands having a compartment therein for the reception of a fluid under pressure, ports in said shaft establishing communication between the interior of said shaft and said compartment, a tubular member having its central portion secured to said shaft and communicating with the interior of said shaft, a pair of pistons mounted in said tubular member and secured to each other in spaced relation by means of a suitable rod, an exhaust port at each end of said tubular member, a cylinder secured to said tubular memher and occupying a parallel relation thereto, the tubular member having ports near each end communicating with ports in the cylinder near each end thereof, a piston mounted in said cylinder, a rod on which said piston is fixedly mounted, the ends of said cylinder being closed and being slidably penetrated by the ends of said rod, a weight adjustably mounted on each end of said rod, the pair of pistons in said tubular member being movable by gravity so that when the tubu- 15 lar member occupies an approximately vertical position the pair of pistons will move downwardto prevent passage of fluid under pressure from said hollow shaft to the upper end of said tubular member, and the upper end of said cylinder, but the lowermost of said pistons will pass by the communicating ports between the lower end of the tubular member and the lower end of the cylinder, to allow fluid under pressure to flow into the lower end of the cylinder to cause the piston in the cylinder and the weight associated therewith to be raised upwardly so that the increased leverage of the uppermost raised weight will assist in imparting rotation to the engine. CLYDE VERNON SEAWRIGHT. 

